Please excuse my poor writing, these were just brief notes I took for class--
Saturday 22nd May, 2010
Departing from Texas
My parents came to Waco last night and stayed with me in my apartment. My mom helped me finish some last minute packing and this morning we got up early to leave for Dallas. They dropped me to the airport and once I was checked in I met up with the rest of the group. Our flight was delayed for a couple of hours so I played cards with and got to know some of the girls. The flight was long and, although it was a night flight, I was too uncomfortable most of the time to get much sleep. I watched Marley & Me and read Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to pass the time. I didn’t eat the plane food because 1) it was beef and 2) it was plane food so when we got to Paris I was really hungry.
Paris, France
Sunday 23rd May, 2010
Arriving in Paris
We arrived in Paris and some girls felt unwelcomed at the airport when the language barrier became apparent. Everyone was hungry and nobody was sure when we’d get a proper meal so we stopped at a cafe in the airport while one of the interior design girls was looking for her passport to get through customs. We struggled to communicate with the people working there to get croissants and coffee and they laughed at our pronunciation, but I found that my two semesters of French paid off, as I managed to get away with a chicken salad sandwich.
Once we were all through customs, had our baggage and food in our stomachs, we followed our tour guide to the coach waiting for us outside. The bus driver seemed little pleased with our “Texas sized” luggage. The coach took us on a brief tour of the city and as our guide narrated the tour in her heavy French accent, many of us dozed off for a bit until we got to our hotel. Dr. Bowen passed out our room keys, bus passes and museum passes and Lauren and I raced up to our room before the elevators got crowded. The room was so cute—it was very mod, decorated in purple and lime green. We had a view that overlooked the street.
Walking through Paris and Seine Cruise
After we freshened up and unpacked a little, we met Dr. Brunson and Mrs. Kane downstairs and walked to the Eiffel Tower. I always thought Paris was really dirty and overrated and most of the memories I had of the city were of it being too cold to think about anything but being too cold—but the weather was beautiful. It was sunny and pleasant and when you take the time to walk through the streets and watch the people sitting at the cafes and walking down the street, taking their time, - everyone seems to be doing their own thing and everyone dresses just how they want, they don’t seem to care about blending in and they really take pride in how they present themselves— you really see why so many people love Paris.
As we approached the Eiffel Tower there were hundreds of people—parents with children, couples, groups of young people, people walking their dogs, people sitting with books reading—lying out on the grass and soaking up the sun. We met the rest of the group at the river for our boat tour of the city. We sat on the side of the boat so we could feel the wind and watch all the people sitting along the river, enjoying the warm weather. We saw a few of the main sights of the town. The architecture of the city is gorgeous. When we got back Lauren and I went to dinner at the Pizza place near the hotel and then came back took showers and went to sleep.
Monday 24th May, 2010
The Louvre and Notre Dame
This morning we went to the Louvre and since we didn’t have much time there we just saw the main pieces of art. From there we walked to the Notre Dame and spend time in there. It was gorgeous.
Draping Demonstration by Madame Pico
In the afternoon we had an appointment with Madame Pico, who spent most of her life working for Madame Grès, although she did also work with Pierre Balmain and Nina Ricci. Although she did not speak English and had a translator, you could sense her passion for her work. I imagine the intricacy of her couture work and drapery requires passion and patience. She didn’t always want to be a designer though, she said when she was younger she wanted to either be a ballerina or a sculptor. From age 25 to 30 she made couture hats. She also spent time working on Patterns for Alex Barton and making costumes for the theatre. Because Madame Pico spent so much time working with Madame Grès, she knew her intimately as well. Madame Grès had an affair with and married a Russian painter named Serge-Czerefkow and in 1933 her daughter Ann was born. Her husband left her in 1940 and then she never saw him again. Madame Grès was friends with Balenciaga and Givenchy and in 1942 she opened her own fashion house. The name Grès came from her husband’s name “Serge” (the E is silent) backwards. Madame Pico was one of six people working under Madame Grès. They would produce about 80 pieces to show every season, but only a few would include drape work as it is very time consuming and because it is couture it must be done right. Now the company is owned by her daughter. Madame Pico continues to make her own clothes and now she makes clothes for her daughters. Madame Pico was very friendly and seemed enthusiastic to share her experiences with us.
Evening at the Eiffel Tower
In the evening we all went to the Eiffel Tower. Lauren, Daisy and I stopped to get crêpes, so we got separated from the group and only got to go halfway up the tower, but it was still beautiful from there. We caught the light show right when we got down and while we waited for the rest of the group we sat in the grass.
Tuesday 25th May, 2010
Fragonard Perfumerie and Museum
This morning we had a tour of the Fragonard Perfumerie and Museum. It was really interesting to see how they extract the fragrances and the different flowers, plants, spices and fruits from different parts of the world. I bought a perfume for my mom from there. Just outside of Fragonard there was a little boutique and some people used that for their retail comparison report. I looked in there, but they only had two pairs of shoes and since my focus is shoes I decided not to use that place.
L’Eclaireur Boutique
After that appointment we saw the opera house on our way to L’Eclaireur. Some people stopped at a bakery and got tapioca before we went in. The boutique is kind of hidden. We rang the doorbell and then they opened the doors to what was more like an art gallery than a fashion boutique. They sell the furniture, art and decorative pieces in the boutique as well as the unique and exclusive selection of clothes and accessories they have. They carry international designers, from Asia, America and Europe and they mix well known labels like Ann Demeulemeester, Comme des Garçons, Giorgio Brato, Martin Margiela and Dries van Noten with lesser known and up-and-coming designers. In total they carry about 30 different designers. They opened their first boutique on the Champs Elysees and once that became successful they opened four more stores around Paris in the last ten years. Each store has a unique style and clientele. They’re clientele is, for the most part, set. They are affluent and loyal. The economy has not really affected their income because they are in the luxury market. The do not advertise publicly, so most of their marketing is done through word of mouth. They have had celebrity clients and they get artists, painters, designers, architects and gallery owners come to the shop especially during fashion week and Parisian fabric fairs. They keep an archive of all of the clothes they have that don’t sell right away, so clients can research back and get items from previous collections if they’d like. However, they do not carry a designer’s entire collection in the boutique, they select a few that they like and have a limited amount of stock in the boutique. The boutique’s collection must have the best of the best, it must cohesive and it must carry a wide enough variety for the client to choose from. Their style is very androgynous and they have about an equal percentage of male and female clients. They go to showrooms four times a year, once each season for menswear and once each season for women’s wear. Although the designers may have specific requests about how a certain piece of clothing should be worn, they have no control over how the clothes are displayed. The designers often come to the store to see how the clothes are selling and which pieces are the most popular. The sales associates assist clients and try to point out combinations that the client may not have thought of. They have very strong, but strictly professional relationships with their clients and don’t really have competition because the concept of their boutique is so unique.
Colette Boutique
After we left the boutique we had time to grab lunch and walk around the shopping area. I used that time to find a boutique to analyze for my retail comparison report. Then we had an appointment at Colette boutique. We met with Alain Lalou, whose designs are featured in the boutique. He explained the concept of the shop to us before we got the chance to go in, walk around and experience it for ourselves. Going through the store is truly a unique experience and they really think about everything from shoes, clothes, accessories and makeup to food, art, books, music and everything in between. Everything is well placed and presented in a clean, but creative manner.
In the evening we took a walk down the Champs Elysees and got dinner there. After we ate we went into Monoprix, which is comparable to Walmart or Target and there we saw business mogul and former fashion model Kimora Lee Simmons shopping with her husband, her kids, and her nanny. We asked if she would take a photo with us but she was very rude about it and said no and then threw a fit in the middle of store, so we left. We walked along till the end, where we took pictures at the Arch de Triumph. When we got back Lauren and I sat on our window sill and looked out at the street and watched the people before we went to sleep.
Wednesday 26th May, 2010
The Palace of Versailles
This morning the whole group took a coach to Versailles. We met our guide who gave us a tour through the palace. We saw most of the rooms, each one different in decor, but each equally extravagant. The Rococo influence is heavily apparent. We also got to walk through Marie Antoinette’s bedroom and the Hall of Mirrors.
Yves Saint Laurent Exhibit
Once we got back we headed to the Yves Saint Laurent exhibit at the Petit Palais. The exhibit was a breathtaking 307 piece collection of Saint Laurent’s works from his early work for Dior in 1958 to his last evening dresses in 2002. At the beginning of the collection we were confronted by a striking portrait of Saint Laurent by photographer Jeanloup Sieff which was taken to launch his 1971 fragrance “pour home”. Because Saint Laurent had a reputation of being shy, quiet, and classic he wanted to show his more daring side by posing nude in an almost arrogant manner. The light around his head alludes to a halo, suggesting he thinks highly of himself. We saw a collection of peacoats, revolutionary pant-suits and safari-inspired wear. We saw his summer 1971 collection which was highly controversial and rejected by most media. Although that collection was a commercial failure, it influenced his rive gauche prêt à porter line of retro ‘70s fashion. We saw his works inspired by different artists and different countries—Mondrain, Matisse, Picasso, Van Gogh, poetry, Asia, Spain, Russia, Hungary, India, Morocco, Africa and Italy. We saw the famous “Trapeze” collection. We saw his terribly uncommercial phallic wedding dress, which never sold. We saw his comic strip which was inspired by Dior in ’67. We saw portraits of him done by Andy Warhol and Irving Penn. The exhibit ended with a terrifically dramatic room of evening dresses next to a wall of the progression of “Le Smoking” suit, from the fall of 1966 to 2002. He included one in each of his collections and each was different, but equally loved by his fans. As you exit you walk through a collection of colour swatches that Saint Laurent kept. There were no black swatches and no purely white swatches. There were plenty of blues and shocking pinks. Once you come out you can watch a video of a collection of some of Saint Laurent’s most beautiful, most famous and most controversial pieces on the runway. Yves Saint Laurent has always been one of my favorite designers so the exhibit was an amazing experience for me.
Meeting Alain Lalou
Later that evening we met with Alain Lalou, a bridal wear designer. He talked about Colette and the idea of the synergy of marketing (music, magazines, shoes, clothes). Colette is like a department store, but with a very selective collection of things and very specific clientele who are informed and know how to mix expensive pieces with non-expensive finds. He talked about his website and his new project of finding young talents and collaborating fashion with art. Lalou first sold his dresses to Saks Fifth Avenue in 2003. His design was featured on Conde Nast’s “March on Madison” posters. He then did a collection a woman from Texas called Christopher and Lalou. He then talked about how a creator must be curious and how our imagination can be stimulated by research and knowledge—this is how our society evolves. One must be inspired by what is different and develop sensitivity to other cultures. He talked about the power that women now have that is more open. He said the real power has always been in women’s hands, but now they have financial power and thus more freedom. He likes to create dresses for a powerful, but still mysterious woman. He uses mostly silk because he thinks it is a beautifully classic and elegant fabric. He stressed the importance of quality in making a garment. Some of his favourite designers include Givenchy, Alexander McQueen, Herrera, and Madame Grès and he finds Lady Gaga to be a new source of inspiration. He has dressed French celebrities, Sarah Jessica Parker, Hermes’ daughter and the queen of Thailand.
Thursday 27th May
Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture
This morning we had the privileged opportunity to visit Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne. We met with Patrick who has been with the school for 11 years. He is a professor there and has been the school coordinator for the last three years. He explained to us the history and significance of the school in the Parisian fashion scene. The school was founded in 1927 and is supported by the couture houses. It was founded to instil a sense of perfectionism in new designers. Students became apprentices to couture designers at a young age. The school deals strictly with haute couture, not with prêt a porter design. The students go through extensive training in all areas of fashion, learning everything from couture design and forecasting to Photoshop and merchandising. The school only accepts a maximum of 70 students and not all students make it through the program. Students spend time in their course of study working with designers and working at Fashion Week to gain the necessary experience to work in the field. Classes are taught in French, but they do have students who come from Asia, America and other parts of Europe although Patrick said it is harder for non-citizens to get a job. Professors are highly experienced in haute couture and many of them still work at design houses while they teach. The student make-up is mostly female, but Patrick has found that the men tend to advance further. Students come to the school at a young age, usually straight from high school, so that they can learn these skills early on in their career. The school is very prestigious and many students go on to either graduate school or to work with couturiers.
Ralph Lauren Store
In the afternoon we had an appointment at the new Ralph Lauren store in Saint Germain, the left bank of Paris, which is said to be the more intellectual/artsy side of the city. Ralph Lauren was one of the first major designers to open a store there. They’ve refurbished an old house and kept much of the original architecture and decor to give it an old Parisian feel. We met with the store manager who explained to us the concept of the store and the goal of Ralph Lauren as a brand. He explained that the company retail has three facets: full price retail, wholesale (department stores) and outlet stores (entry price). 70% of their retail is in the US and this is mainly because it is such an American brand. Ralph Lauren speaks to his customers through his stores and in this new store he is trying to fuse Parisian culture with American style. In America he tries to bring European style to Americans, but here he is trying to do the opposite with a lot of denim and flannel. He wanted this store to feel more like a home than a store and you definitely get that sense when you walk in. The concept is fusing an American barn with the Palace of Versailles. They’ve taken a more American approach to marketing and merchandising and when you walk in sales associates will greet you with a “Hi, how are you?” rather than “Can I help you find something” or no greeting at all—contrary to the French stereotype of a bit of a colder interaction. The sales team is very close and because hiring someone in Paris is very expensive and they get a lower commission, firing people becomes virtually impossible. The opening of the store had a lot of press and they had 4600 people come to the store on the first day. They still have a lot of people who come to see the store, rather than buy because it is so new, but they are doing well so far. The opening of this store may create a chain reaction of other big-name designers opening in this area. Ralph Lauren was in Paris for the first two weeks of the opening and he said it was a beautiful store. The manager talked about Ralph Lauren being a very kind and personable man who has come a long way from selling ties out of a drawer at the foot of the Empire State building to the five billion dollar international company he has today.
We then had an opportunity to walk through the store on our own and were able to take a few photos—but even the photos I took cannot capture the essence of the store. There is an interesting collection of photos and paintings in the hallways and stairwells. The top floor is very country-western and the men’s and women’s floors below have a much more classic clean feel, with Sinatra playing as I walked through.
Afterwards we had time for lunch and I just grabbed a sandwich to go from a cafe near the Ralph Lauren store and then found an art gallery, which actually wasn’t open yet, but the owner let me walk through and look at the collection anyways. It was a collection of comic and cartoon-inspired art and a lot of it had a heavy American influence. It was really interesting. Then I met up with Lauren and we went to the BCBG store.
Edelkoort Trend Forecasting Studio
Then, once everyone had eaten we headed to the Edelkoort trend forecasting studio. On the way we got a bit lost and I found a comic book store called Album that I had read about and been wanting to go to. I looked at comic books there for a bit until we figured out where we were going. On the way we passed a whole street of book shops that looked really interesting, but I never got a chance to go back to that area.
We were welcomed at the Edelkoort office by rain and a parade of protesters in the street, which Sophie (the lady who we met) said was very French. She began to talk about politics and about how everyone in France makes fun of Sarkozy and says that he has a Napoleon complex and is jealous of Obama. Sophie has been with the company for 18 years. She seemed like a very intelligent and interesting person. She is currently the office coordinator. She explained that what they do is not only fashion forecasting, but trend forecasting. They forecast trends two years in advance. Li Edelkoort is Dutch. Her first job was as a buyer for a department store, but she fell in love with a French man and ended up moving to Paris for him, where she founded her company. She has always been a good colourist and likes working with fashion, textiles and design. Sophie stressed that what they do is not trend watching and that the word trend has become trendy, but that forecasting is based on intuition. They still do research because everything affects trends including politics, art, music, etc. Trend forecasting is a more avant garde craft and includes all of these elements. It is more about an attitude, while trend watching is more about marketing. Edelkoort has had several big clients, including Marks & Spencer’s. They have several publications including Trend Union, Edelkoort’s editions, View on Colour, and Bloom. They have an office in New York and one in Japan as well. They start the process by looking at colours and then brainstorming to create a cohesive concept. They work with a large variety of clients in several different fields—food, home appliances, cars, phones, lights, etc. What they do is not design work, but concept creation and brand repositioning.
Sophie then showed us an exclusive video they have been working on for fall/winter 2011-2012. The concept is birds and the video outlined several forecasted trends in fashion and textile design, as well as beauty trends and a general attitude. They have created fabrics and put together photo shoots to put this video together, with a funky music selection.
Seeing the video and talking to Sophie really helped me understand what forecasting is all about and made me realize that this is something I could really see myself doing. I like the idea of looking at society from all angles—politics, art, music, everything—and looking to the future and creating concepts. It’s such a creative field and seems hard to get in to, but I think I would really enjoy and be good at this kind of work.
Friday 28th May, 2010
Louis Vuitton Museum
Today was our last day in Paris and we started off the morning by visiting the beautiful Louis Vuitton museum. It is a home to the Louis Vuitton family and often hosts several people in the company who come stay in Paris. We were offered tea and then shown a video about the company which went into detail about how the bags are made with such care and close inspection for quality. I never understood all of the hype about Louis Vuitton bags, but watching this video helped me understand the high standard of quality Louis Vuitton holds for their products. We were then given a tour of the trunks. There were all kinds of trunks—for hats, for tea, for a picnic, for toiletries, a desk. The functionality of the trunks is amazing. We were able to take photos of the trunks and of the house, so I have several photos. The garden was gorgeous, too.
Galleries Lafayette
Once we got back, I went with Dr. Brunson and a few of the girls to go see the catacombs, but they were closed when we got there because there had been a flood. So we took the Metro back to where Galleries Lafayette is and met up with the rest of the group in time for the fashion show. We almost didn’t get into the fashion show, but we did and ended up sitting toward the back and I still got some good photos. The show was of prêt a porter lines that the store carries. A student group from Tennessee was there too. Daisy and I sat next to them and talked to them about their trip.
After the show we had time to walk around Galleries Lafayette and go shopping if we wanted to. I went downstairs to the shoe department to work on my retail comparison report. The whole floor was just for women’s shoes! I was in heaven. The price range was really wide, they had shoes from €50 all the way up to €2,000.
After I looked at the shoes I met up with Lauren and Daisy and we went to H&M. I didn’t really feel like shopping though and then I couldn’t find them, so I just went on my own down the street and took photos of all of the window displays. Galleries Lafayette had some very creative displays, but I don’t know if all of the photos came out well because the sun was reflecting off of the glass. Then I ran into Jolie, Courtney and Lindsay and walked around with them until it was time to meet up with the group.
Dinner and a Night Out
It was too late by then to go back to the hotel and change so we went straight to dinner. The food was really good, but we were at a long table and I was at the end, so I didn’t really get a chance to talk to everyone. But overall it was a good way to end our visit in Paris.
When we got back I went out to a nightclub with a few of the girls. It was just a few minutes walk from the hotel and the place was packed. It was mostly house music, but they played a lot of American songs too. Daisy and I sat on the side most of the time and just enjoyed the music and got a feel of what the Parisian nightlife is like. We didn’t stay long and were tired by the time we got home.
